The present invention relates to equipment for the exhaust gas detoxification of internal combustion engines including at least one thermal or catalytic reactor within the exhaust system.
It is well known in exhaust gas systems that the part of the system which includes the reactor is located remote from the internal combustion engine itself in order to avoid exhaust gas heat being transferred back to the internal combustion engine which would impair its cooling; in addition, there is rarely enough space for mufflers or reactors within the engine compartments of motor vehicles. In such an arrangement, the exhaust gas has normally cooled off somewhat when it reaches the reactor, resulting in inefficient operation of the reactor especially during the warm-up phase of the internal combustion engine. Furthermore, the difference between the inlet and outlet gas temperatures of the reactor is quite high which, when applied to the entire thermal operating region, leads to considerable thermal stresses in the material as well as to a non-uniform treatment of the exhaust gas.